A Bird In The Hand
by The Flamekeeper
Summary: Raven always thought of herself as adaptable. She never really complained, she followed orders, and she didn't depend on anyone. But when a fellow Titan starts to treat her differently, she realizes she isn't quite who she thought she was, old wounds never quite heal, and change, no matter good or bad, always has consequences.


**A Bird In The Hand**

**by**

_**The Flamekeeper**_

**Chapter 1**

* * *

It started with a kiss.

Although, it was definitely nothing to be hot and bothered over.

It was fast, on the cheek, and almost certainly a dare.

Hardly the ingredients for any sort of romance.

And if it wasn't for the fact that the kisser was tall, handsome, muscled, and had a certain left-dimpled, fang-toothed smile, maybe, maybe nothing would have come of it.

But the fact of the matter was, he was indeed, tall, handsome, muscled, and had a certain left-dimpled, fang-toothed smile.

And while the tell-tale blush was suppressed easy enough, the increased ba-dump of her heart, however, was not.

As a blushing (well, greener-cheeked) Beast Boy quickly backed away from Raven, in her head, she reviewed her options.

She could just walk away, letting him imagine that the invasion of space was without consequence, maybe even welcomed.

Or she could do what was more fun and what would keep him line, and give him a nice ass-kicking.

Raven decided she liked to have fun every once in a while.

The fear in Beast Boy's eyes doubled as Raven's eyes clouded in white, wisps of black power blooming beneath her boot-clad feet.

"H-Hey, I can explain!" He ducked behind Cyborg, who had fallen into fits of laughter.

"I can't believe you did it," he slapped a twenty dollar bill into the changling's hand, wiping away a tear or two from his seat on the large leather sofa. "This holiday just gets better and better."

For some reason, seeing the evidence of the bet filled Raven with legitimate anger, and she started floating, her violet hair flying around her in menacing coils.

"Raven, please, in the spirit o the holidays, let us not fight. Let us rejoice that we are here together, friends and family, eager to engage in the mass destruction of the wrapping paper and the consumption of the brick-like fruit cake and the gooey egg nog!" Starfire laid a hand on Raven's floating shoulder, giving Raven her most beseeching puppy-dog stare, her green orbs shining.

After meeting her look for a solid thirty seconds (a time during which none of the men of the tower breathed) she grunted and touched back down to the floor, the darkness leaving her eyes. It was Christmas after all. She supposed she could let this go for Starfire's sake.

For now.

"Whatever," she muttered. Beast Boy's sigh of relief almost made her crack a smile, and she pulled her hood up. Starfire clapped her hands at her success, and flew to the kitchen to resume her fourth attempt at a gingerbread house.

"You know, Raven. It was really your fault," Robin pointed out, arms crossed with a superior smile on his lips. Maybe it wasn't a superior smile. He just always seemed that way.

Raven arched a brow, her expression dubious. "It's my fault I just endured an attack on my personal space?"

Robin's smile widened, and he pointed just above Raven's head. A glance up, and Raven resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Dangling not feet above her, was a small bunch of green leaves, dusted with white, and a small bunch of blood-red berries, held together by a crimson ribbon.

"Mistletoe? Really? Who's idea was that?"

"The house of ginger is almost prepared!" Starfire called gleefully. "This time I only used one quart of mustard, and I am sure it will taste much better!"

She should have known.

With a shake of her head, Raven trudged out of the common room, murmuring, "I can't handle this."

She had barely taken three steps down the dark hallway towards her room when she heard Beast Boy's voice behind her.

"Hey, wait up, Rae!" As she turned around, still not quite used to the fact that she had to look up several inches to meet his gaze now, she wondered why he seemed to have a death wish.

Still, she had to think of Starfire.

"Can I help you?" Raven asked scathingly. Beast Boy raised one hand, keeping the other behind his back, in a gesture of piece.

"Sorry about that. It was Cy's idea, and I've kinda been hurting for cash, you know?" Raven opened her mouth, ready with a retort on how he would have money if he didn't spend it on the first shiny thing he saw in a store's window, but he continued.

"Anyways-here." He pulled out a small, smooth black box from behind his back. "Merry Christmas." He grinned sheepishly.

Completely dumb-founded, Raven picked up the box, surprised by the weight of it for such a small...whatever it was.

She turned confused eyes on the obviously embarrassed Beast Boy.

"You already gave me my gift," Raven said after a pause, reflecting on the set of candles she had received from the green man earlier that evening.

"Well, yeah," Beast Boy agreed, scratching his head absently. He folded his arms, and Raven noted the fidgeting with a small smile. "But I'd already bought you the candles when I saw that at the store yesterday, and I just knew it was perfect for you." He shrugged. "So I bought it."

Raven had to admit it, she was touched. It was obvious he went out of his way to do this, and while she was flattered, she certainly didn't understand why he would do such a thing, especially given the nature of their love/hate relationship.

"How much did this cost?" Raven asked pensively. Beast Boy gave Raven a 'you're kidding, right?' look.

"A gentleman never spends and tells. Besides, it takes the fun out of the gift if you remind the other person how much money you spent on it." Raven rolled her eyes.

"Beast Boy, we all agreed on a twenty dollar limit for gifts, and I know those candles were exactly that much."

Beast Boy shrugged, unable to halt the smile spreading on his green features.

"Maybe I thought you were worth a little more."

* * *

**This is another story I've had for a while and just never published. Didn't realize they were both Rave/Beast Boy stories until I posted them. So yeah. Hoped you liked. **

**-F**


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